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The difference of aggregation mechanism between microplastics and nanoplastics: Role of Brownian motion and structural layer force
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The aggregation mechanisms of 100-nm and 1-micrometer polystyrene particles were compared under different water chemistry conditions to understand how microplastics and nanoplastics behave differently in aquatic environments. The study found distinct aggregation pathways between the two size classes, driven by differences in electrostatic forces and surface properties.
In recent years, microplastics (MPs) and nanoplastics (NPs) have attracted worldwide attention because of the potential risks they pose to aquatic environments, but there are few studies on the difference of aggregation mechanism between MPs and NPs. In this study, 100 nm and 1 μm polystyrene plastics were selected as models to explore the aggregation mechanism of MPs/NPs under different aquatic environments. The influence of ion species and concentrations on the aggregation behaviors and kinetics were systematically investigated to predict the effects of water quality on the occurrence form of MPs and NPs based on DLVO theory and revised modified Smoluchowski theory. Results showed concentration, valence and hydrated ability of cations jointly affected the aggregation behavior of NPs. The critical coagulation concentration ratio of cations were consistent with Schulze-Hardy rules. But the different aggregation rate coefficients of same valent cations were ascribed to the structural layer force. Anion species played a role in the reaction-controlled regime by producing hydrogen ions to neutralize negative charges on NPs surfaces. Due to the strong Brownian motion and structural layer force, NPs would be stable in freshwater but preferentially aggregated when transport through brackish water, estuaries, eutrophication and high hardness areas and sea water, forming the accumulation hot spots of NPs in the sediment. While for MPs, physical process controlled the aggregation mechanism of them, leading to high stability in natural water and eventually transporting into marine environments. This study provided a theoretical foundation for assessing the transport, distribution, fate and ecological risks of MPs and NPs in realistic aquatic environments.
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Researchers investigated how size and surface charge of polystyrene nanoplastics affect their sedimentation behavior in freshwater, finding that both properties significantly influence aggregation dynamics and settling rates, with implications for predicting nanoplastic fate in aquatic environments.
Aggregation behavior of polystyrene nanoplastics: Role of surface functional groups and protein and electrolyte variation
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Researchers studied how different surface coatings on polystyrene nanoplastics affect their tendency to clump together in water containing proteins and salts. They found that the type of surface functional group significantly changed how the particles aggregated, with proteins and electrolytes playing important roles in the process. The study helps explain how nanoplastics behave and transform as they move through natural water systems.
Aggregation and Deposition Kinetics of Polystyrene Microplastics and Nanoplastics in Aquatic Environment
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Researchers measured aggregation and deposition kinetics of 50 nm and 500 nm polystyrene particles under varying ionic strength and pH conditions, finding that both particle sizes aggregated rapidly at elevated salt concentrations and that the smaller nanoplastics were more mobile in column experiments.
Mechanistic investigation of homo- and heteroaggregation of micro- and nanoparticles in aquatic systems
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This study investigated the aggregation behavior of micro- and nanoparticles including microplastics in aquatic systems, developing mechanistic models to understand how water chemistry and particle properties determine whether plastic particles clump together or remain dispersed — affecting their environmental fate and toxicity.
Structural Compactness Governs the Environmental Fate of Polystyrene Nanoplastics: Reaggregation Mechanisms in Laboratory-Scale Aquatic Systems.
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Scientists studied how tiny plastic particles from polystyrene (smaller than the width of a human hair) behave in water under different conditions like saltiness and water movement. They found that these plastic particles can break apart and stick back together, staying suspended in water for long periods and traveling far distances through rivers and oceans. This matters because it means these microscopic plastics could spread widely through water systems and potentially end up in our drinking water and food chain.
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